Jawamiʿ al-hikayat wa lawamiʿ al-riwayat 10: March of the King of Zabulistan upon Kanauj. [I. xii. 15.]

10

In the early part of their career there was friendship between the King of Zabulistan and the Rai of Kanauj, but it ended in animosity and war. The King of Zabulistan marched against Kanauj with a large army. The Rai called together his advisers and asked their opinions, when each one spoke to the best of his ability. One of them said that he had a decided opinion on the matter, but he could only speak it in private. The Rai ordered the council chamber to be cleared, when the minister said: "War is attended with great dangers, and the result is doubtful; the best thing the Rai can do is to inflict punishment upon me and to drive me forth in disgrace to the highway, so that when the enemy shall approach, I may be taken to act as his guide. I will then lead them into the desert so that all may perish with thirst, and you will thus be relieved from all apprehension. The Rai praised him for the proposition he had made, and a few days after he put it in execution, giving orders for him to be expelled the country. The Hindu then went and placed himself in the way of the King of Zabulistan, and when the king drew near with his army, the Hindu made his case known. The king said "How can a minister who has been thus treated have any kind feeling towards his persecutor?" The Hindu said, "All this was done on the absurd suspicion of my being friendly to you." He then added, "From this place where you now are to that where the Rai is, the distance is eleven days' journey by the desert, but no one besides me knows the road, and the Rai feels secure that your army cannot make the passage; if, however, you will assure my life and will hold out promises and hopes of reward, I will lead you by that way and enable you to take the Rai by surprise." The king gave orders for his army to provide eleven days' provision of grain and water, and plunged into the desert. After marching twelve days their water was exhausted, and they nowhere found a trace of any. The king called for the Hindu, and asked how it was that they had not come to any water. He replied: "I have accomplished my object in bringing you here, and have discharged my duty to my master. You are now in the middle of the desert, and no water is to be found within eleven days march—my work is done, do with me as you please." A cry arose from the bystanders, and a commotion broke out in the army. The king in the extremity of his despair mounted his horse and galloped in all directions. He perceived a hillock crowned with verdure, and joyfully directed his men to dig a well there. When they had sunk about ten yards they came upon some excellent water, at the sight of which the king and all his army gave thanks to God. Each man dug a well in front of his tent, and gained new life. The king then called together his elders, and asked what ought to be done to the man who had misled them. They all declared that he ought to be put to death with the most cruel tortures, and each one specified some particular mode of torture. But the king said, "My judgment is that you should give him a little water and let him go. What he has done has been out of pure devotion to his lord and master; to save him he has risked his own life. He has done what he intended, but our good fortune has rendered his scheme abortive." So they gave him water and permission to depart. The story of this incident spread, and through it the whole country of Kanauj was secured to him, and the people bowed their heads in obedience.